Page 15 of Wolf of the Nordic Seas (Valiant Vikings #2)

Lugh

Njord retrieved their horses behind úlvhild’s hut and helped Elfi into the saddle. Pulse pounding, limbs trembling, she gazed down at her alluring betrothed, admiring the glossy brown hair which tumbled to his broad, wide shoulders. The thick beard, braided with beads that glinted in the golden sun. The deep blue eyes that beckoned like lulling waves of the Narrow Sea.

Through the volva , Njord had discovered his heritage and shapeshifting ability as a wolf warrior of the úlfhéenar. Thanks to úlvhild , Elfi now knew that she possessed a latent power as well. And through the Viking seeress, they had also learned how to summon the Ljósálfar who would craft the Light Elven weapons from the bones of the sacred white wolf.

Elfi was descended from a sjóv?ttir sea spirit. A shape shifting mermaid who had once protected the sheltered inlet near the waterfall cave.

No wonder I have always been drawn to the Mermaid Cove. My mother’s spirit lingers there. She was a billow maiden. A shapeshifting mermaid. And the mermaids of the Gallizenae will teach me to wield the power I inherited through her.

Njord climbed into the saddle, made a soft clicking sound to his horse, and nudged the black Friesian with his knees. “Let’s stop by my longhouse to pick up the bones. And my white wolfskin cloak. I want to be wearing it when we meet Lugh.” His dazzling grin stole her breath and stirred her heart.

The meandering path through the village was crowded with vendors selling their wares, children and animals scampering about, and carpenters repairing damaged homes. Amid gleeful shouts, bleating sheep, hammering and hollering, Elfi followed Njord through the winding streets, toward the enormous longhouse that Jarl Rikard had converted into a royal hall for Njord and his Danish hird . When they arrived, the two of them dismounted, and he led her through the carved entrance door into his lavish home.

Inside the dim interior lit by candles and a blazing fire in the central hearth, Elfi spotted several thralls preparing food on tables while others wove wool on a standing loom. As she followed Njord into the longhouse, the servants bowed before their jarl and greeted him as he entered the large room. While he instructed them to continue their work, Elfi admired the elaborately decorated oak walls with carved images of Norse gods. She noted the richly woven tapestries embroidered with silken threads which depicted valiant heroes of skaldic legend. The delicious aroma of garlic, rosemary, and roasting meat blended with the salty brine of the Narrow Sea which wafted in through the open door.

“Come, my private quarters are over here.” Njord led her across the vast hall of the rectangular longhouse where, at the far end of the enormous chamber, black woolen drapes embroidered with gold and red images of dragons, wolves, and Nordic runes cordoned off his sleeping area. He parted the curtains so that Elfi could enter and followed her into his chamber.

The rush-covered earthen floor was strewn with sweet-smelling herbs. The cleansing scent of basil, chamomile, and sage perfumed the still air. No fire burned in the empty hearth along the left wall, for since it was still summer, the heat would have been stifling. An elaborately embroidered tapestry hung on the right wall, and at the back of the spacious room was a rear exit door. A carved oak chest with intricately wrought iron hinges stood at the base of a huge bed piled with furs, As she stared at the soft, silky pelts, Elfi’s pulse raced at the thought of lying there with Njord .

As if reading her thoughts, he smiled seductively and drew her into his arms. His soft lips parted hers, and the tip of his tongue traced the inner lining of her slightly open mouth.

Elfi pressed her body against his, warmth flooding her at the hard length which poked against her soft stomach.

He moaned as he trailed kisses down her throat, then abruptly released her, stepping back to shake his long hair. He exhaled, as if to compose himself, and adjusted his clothing. “You drive me wild, Elfi of étretat. I cannot wait to make you mine. But not here, not now. We need to go to the waterfall cave and meet Lugh.” He bent down and brushed his lips against hers. Regret and longing shone in the tempting depths of his dark blue gaze. “Soon, elska minn . Very soon.”

Njord withdrew a key from the leather pouch at his waist, knelt on the ground, and unlocked the latch of the wooden trunk. He lifted the hatch, fetched the white wolfskin cloak, and retrieved a parcel wrapped in wool, which was tucked protectively inside the thick lupine fur. “These are the bones of the white wolf. If Lugh does come to the cave, as I hope he will, I’ll give them to him today.” He tucked the parcel into the scabbard at his waist, donned the wolfskin cloak, and grinned at Elfi.

She resisted the urge to throw her arms around his neck and pull him down onto the fur covered bed. Freyja help me, I want him. And he wants me, too. How can we wait three more months until we are wed? Swallowing her repressed desire, she smiled up at him, hoping he could see the yearning which surely blazed in her eyes. “You are magnificent, my Wolf of the Nordic Seas. I cannot wait to make you mine.” She raised up onto her tiptoes and kissed his irresistible lips, suppressing another wave of desperate longing. With a soft smile, she asked, “Are you ready to go?”

He nodded, locked the wooden chest on the floor, and tucked the key into his pouch. “I am. Let’s ride back to the castle.”

They said goodbye to the busy thralls, returned to the awaiting horses, and rode back up the grassy hill to le Chateau Blanc. When they dismounted, servants greeted them at the enormous oak entrance door.

“I’ll run up to my room and grab Dag’s flute while you return the horses.” Elfi smiled up at Njord. “I’ll meet you downstairs in the castle foyer in a few minutes.”

“I’ll be waiting, elska minn .” As she darted into the chateau , he handed the reins to the two grooms who led the horses back toward the stables.

Sif was tidying up Elfi’s chambers, waiting for her return. “Would you like to don your armor now? I have everything prepared. And your grandmother is taking her nap.” She flashed a conspiratorial grin.

Elfi was so overwhelmed with her new knowledge , she didn’t even know where to begin. Mouth dry, palms damp, she grasped Sif’s hands and shared her exciting news. “This morning, Njord took me to visit the volva úlvhild. She cast the runes to reveal my past and foresee the future. I learned that my mother was a sjóv?ttir sea spirit. One of the nine billow maidens who control the ocean’s waves. A shapeshifting mermaid!”

Sif’s mouth dropped open, her expressive eyes widening with awe.

“I have inherited her power,” Elfi stammered, pulse thrumming in her parched throat. “And I must learn how to wield it. Because I am sailing with Njord to ísland, for him to reclaim his father’s Dwarven sword. There’s a prophesy he must fulfill, and he needs my help.” She released Sif’s hands and crossed the room, fetching Dag’s flute from the wooden chest where she always kept it secure. “Thank you for cleaning my armor, but I won’t need it after all. I’m not going to train with swords today as planned. Instead, I’m bringing Njord to the waterfall cave.” Elfi tucked the flute into a deerskin sack belted at her waist. “We’re hoping to meet Lugh—the Ljósálfar who forged Dag’s sword. Because úlvhild foresaw that he will be the one to craft weapons for me as well. With bones from Njord’s sacred white wolf.” Elfi patted the whalebone instrument in her leather pouch. “Lugh is attracted to the music I play with Dag’s flute. So today, Njord is coming with me to the waterfall cave. We’re hoping to lure the Ljosálfar there, so we can meet him.” Elfi kissed a stunned Sif’s soft cheek. “I must hurry. Njord is waiting for me in the foyer downstairs. When my amma wakes up, tell her I’m strolling along the seashore with my betrothed. She’ll be pleased we’re spending time together. And now, I must go. See you soon.”

Elfi grabbed an unlit torch and flew down the stairs to find Njord—wrapped in the white wolfskin cloak, a gleaming sword strapped to his sinewy hip—waiting near the castle entrance. When he flashed her a glorious grin, her heart soared like the swan wings of Freyja’s Valkyries.

She floated up to him, hooked her arm in his, and ushered him out the oaken door.

****

Elfi brought Njord through the dense forest near le Chateau Blanc to the clearing in the sacred grove where they practiced weaponry. Njord recognized the open mouth of the hidden cave, concealed behind low lying branches of enormous beech and oak trees, which led from the tunnel at the bottom of the castle keep.

“There’s another underground passage on the opposite side of the sacred grove. It empties into the waterfall cave. Come, it’s this way.” Elfi conducted him through the ash, beech, fir, and oak trees to the other side of the woods, where the mouth of another cave was concealed by thick vines and foliage. “We’ll need to light this torch,” she said, sticking the wooden end into the ground as she searched for moss to start a small fire.

“Here, allow me.” Njord retrieved the fire-steel and flint from the pouch on his belt. As Elfi placed the gathered dried moss into a small pile, he held the decorated, curved handle of the tool and slid the sharp metal edge along the ridged groove of the flint striking stone, creating sparks which caught fire. He blew on the tiny flame and lit the torch, which he handed to Elfi as he extinguished the small blaze. Storing the fire-steel and striking stone back into his pouch, he smiled, gesturing to the open mouth of the hidden cave. “Lead the way.”

Clutching her torch to light the path, Elfi led Njord into the darkened gloom.

They followed the steep descent of the obscure tunnel, emerging into an astonishing limestone grotto which opened onto a rocky ledge high above the brilliant turquoise waters of a secluded inlet which was almost entirely surrounded by white chalk cliffs. A deafening waterfall cascaded over the open mouth of the sea cave, thundering in his sensitive ears and reverberating into his lupine bones. With his keen sense of smell, Njord discerned the sweet scent of a freshwater spring, the sharp tang of the brackish estuary, and the salty brine of the Narrow Sea. The aroma of live oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops—in addition to haddock, cod, sea bass, and sole—made his stomach growl at the thought of gorging on succulent seafood and fresh fish.

As he stood behind the magnificent waterfall, his physical senses reeling, Njord perceived an otherworldly essence which stirred his spirit and spoke to his soul. “This place is magical. I sense an aura which calls to me. A link beyond the mortal realm.”

An aquatic brilliance radiated from Elfi, as if she embodied the enchantment he sensed. “Dag and I found this cave as children.” Her voice was ephemeral and evanescent, reminiscing the bittersweet past. “We used to jump off this ledge—through the waterfall—and splash in the bubbling water of the cove down below.” She gazed at the frothy waves which lapped the white shore of the sandy beach. “I used to pretend I was a mermaid.” She turned to look up at Njord, tears brimming in her limpid eyes. “That’s why he named it the Mermaid Cove.” Elfi smiled sadly as she looked back out at the turquoise waters. “Dag taught me to wield his sword… and to play his flute. When he and my father would sail off on raids, I used to come here to practice. And now—since Dag’s death—I come here often to play his flute. I hope he hears me in Valhalla.”

Njord tenderly brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb, cradling her against his chest as he kissed her rose-scented hair. “ I’m sure he does.” He rocked her in his arms for comfort. “Why don’t you play for him now? I’d love to hear you, too.”

Elfi nodded and withdrew from his embrace, inhaling deeply to compose herself. She wiped her eyes and forced a smile as she looked up at him. “All right. I’ll pour my pain into the music. It cleanses me—like the waterfall in this secret cave.”

She withdrew an ivory instrument with several holes on one side from the leather wrap tucked in her belt. “This is made from whalebone. Dag bought it in Dorestad, the Viking trade center in Frisia. He and faeir would often stop there when they sailed to Denmark.” Elfi lifted the whalebone flute to her full, rosy lips. Elbows extended, slender fingers placed over the small, round holes, she played the most hauntingly beautiful melody that Njord had ever heard.

While the cool, clear waterfall cascaded over the mouth of the cave, the crystalline notes poured from Elfi’s flute like the flow of a sacred spring. Evanescent music floated through the mist, lifting Njord’s spirit on the wings of the wind.

The back of his neck tingled and a shiver ran up his spine. His hackles didn’t raise, like they did in the presence of an enemy. Instead, he sensed the same innate, otherworldly bond that he’d felt when he met the white wolf in Norway. And the shapeshifting warriors of the úlfhéenar.

Njord turned around slowly, his instincts informing him that Lugh had arrived.

In the back of the cave behind them stood an exceptionally tall male with sleek, silvery blond hair that tumbled down his wide shoulders. His ears were elongated and pointed, his skin pale and luminous. He was exceptionally tall--even more towering than Njáll-- and his dark green Elven armor appeared crafted from the scales of an immense dragon. A gleaming sword was sheathed at his trim waist, a curved bow and quiver of arrows strapped across his broad back. As he stared in admiration and appreciation of Elfi, the finely sculpted features of his noble face were transfixed with awe. “Your music is sublime.” The rich timbre of Lugh’s deep voice resounded in the cave like the low melodic notes of a mellow harp.

Elfi spun around and gasped at the sight of the Ljósálfar . “Thank you.” Her lips quavered in a tremulous smile. “You must be Lugh.”

“Indeed I am. And you are Elfi of étretat. Daughter of Dúva and sister of Dag.” Lugh took hold of Elfi’s hand and bent to kiss it with reverence. “I have long admired your music. And your ethereal beauty. I had once even hoped to woo you myself.” Lugh smiled wistfully and shook his head, envious eyes fixed on Njord. “Until I saw in my Elven mirror—whose enchanted glass illuminates that which is shrouded in darkness—that you were destined for another.” He bowed his head respectfully to Njord. “The Wolf of the Nordic Seas. Son of the Ljósálfar healer íssla and the úlfhéenar warrior Brokk.” Lugh extended his huge hand, which Njord respectfully shook.

“You knew my mother?” Elfi’s dulcet voice was full of hope.

“Yes, I did. Dúva and I guarded the Pays de Caux together. She protected the seas and inlets, such as this one.” He gestured to the turquoise waters of the Mermaid Cove below the waterfall cave. “And I defend the sacred forests in the Land of the White Chalk Cliffs.”

“Can you tell me about her? The volva úlvhild said that my mother was one of the sjóv?ttir sea spirits. A shapeshifting mermaid.” Elfi’s blue green eyes sparkled like the shimmering waters of the Mermaid Cove.

“That is true. Dúva had fallen in love with your father Thorfinn. She longed to marry him and bear his children. But as a mermaid, she was incapable of giving birth. She pleaded with the Sea Goddess Rán to retain her human form, knowing that it would eventually cost her life. Dúva married your father, bore him a son, and died giving birth to you. Yet her sjóv?ttir sea spirit remains in these waters. And in you, the daughter who inherited her power. ”

Njord gripped Elfi’s trembling hand, squeezing it for reassurance. “The volva also said that the mermaids of the Gallizenae would teach Elfi to wield her inherited power. And that you would escort her to the ?le de Sein, the otherworldly island where they live.”

Lugh nodded with an enigmatic grin as he held Elfi’s rapt gaze. “I will bring you there very soon.” He swept a long, dragonscale clad arm behind him, indicating the back of the limestone grotto. “We will cross the portal together.”

An astonished Elfi peered around the corner into the darkness. “The portal to the ?le de Sein is in this waterfall cave?”

“It is indeed. And I will take you there , to train with the shapeshifting mermaids of the Gallizenae .” Lugh eyed the glittering gems at the base of Elfi’s throat. “There is also sjóv?ttir magic in that necklace. Where did you get it?”

“From a trading port in the Far East on the Caspian Sea.” Njord watched as Lugh closely examined the tiers of turquoise, emerald, and lapis lazuli stones. “It once belonged to a Persian princess. When I saw it in among the jewels that a Byzantine merchant was selling, it beckoned to me. Intuitively, I sensed that it was meant for my future mate.”

As Lugh ran long fingers over each strand, the gems glowed intensely beneath his Light Elven touch. “Perhaps the Persian princess was the daughter of a sea spirit, like you .” Lugh’s dark green eyes blazed like the fiery emeralds around Elfi’s slender throat. “This necklace…” he said, eyeing the three tiers of gems and the lapis lazuli beads which glittered amongst the etched runes of Elfi’s amulet, “and your trollkors talisman… are imbued with enchanted stones. Each will defend against the darkness which hunts you.”

Elfi shuddered visibly at the ominous warning.

“But first,” he continued in a more lighthearted tone, “I must craft Ljósálfar weapons for your protection. From the bones of the sacred white wolf.” He grinned at an astonished Njord, a radiant shine in his deep verdant eyes “This too, I glimpsed in my Elven Mirror.”

Adrenaline surging in his veins, Njord retrieved the leather wrapped package from the scabbard strapped to his belt. “My father Brokk sent his hámr spirit in the form of a white wolf to protect me as a boy in Norway. When I became a man, the wolf died, and my father’s voice told me to wear the white wolfskin fur for protection in battle. And to save these two jawbones, for weapons which would defend my future mate.” His palms damp, Njord handed the parcel to Lugh, who unwrapped and meticulously perused the contents.

Njord’s body pulsed with power, like the lupine bones thrumming at Lugh’s summoning touch.

“Your father was one of the úlfhéenar, a shapeshifting wolf warrior descended from Odin.” An otherworldly brilliance illuminated Lugh’s radiant gaze. He flashed a pearlescent grin at Elfi. “With these lupine bones, I can craft a weapon capable of killing a troll.”

As his long Elven fingers traced the smooth ivory, Lugh seemed immersed in creative contemplation. “I’ll affix a gildir starstone, like the one in Dag’s enchanted sword Galadir . But imbued with intensified powers of reflection. So that, in sunlight, you can transform the Dokkálfar --or even a troll--into stone.” He gripped one of the bones, holding it like a dagger, then eyed the flute in Elfi’s hand. Satisfaction spread across Lugh’s luminous face, as if he’d arrived at an important decision. “Meet me here in nine days. I shall have the weapons ready for you then. Summon me with your flute when you arrive in this waterfall cave.” Rewrapping the bones carefully inside the leather pouch, Lugh tucked them into the belt of his green dragonscale armor. “Come prepared for the voyage to the ?le de Sein . Bring sufficient provisions for three days of training with the Gallizenae mermaids. When I arrive with the white wolf weapons, I shall escort you directly through this portal to the ?le de Sein .” Lugh bent at the waist to kiss Elfi’s hand. “Fardu vel, Heiress of étretat.” His long, luminous hand shook Njord’s in parting. “ Vertu s?ll , Wolf of the Nordic Seas. I bid you both a fond farewell.” Lugh bowed his silvery blond head and disappeared into the dark depths of the waterfall cave.

Elfi collapsed into Njord’s arms. “We met a Ljósálfar !” Her pulse raced as she gasped for breath. “Lugh knew my mother… and both of your parents!” She looked up into Njord’s astonished gaze. “Did you see how the gems in my necklace glowed under his touch? He exudes a magnetic aura—an otherworldly power that emanates from him, like heat from a flame.” Elfi laid her head over Njord’s pounding heart. “I cannot wait to wield my mother’s sjóv?ttir power. And the Elven weapons from the bones of your sacred white wolf.” Nuzzling her nose in the chest hair beneath his beard, she hummed with audible contentment. “I am so grateful that you’re mine. You introduced me to the volva who cast the runes and revealed my latent power. You brought the white wolf bones to Lugh, for him to craft my Ljósálfar weapons. You gave me a superb bow and arrow. You’re teaching me to hurl a dagger. And you’re helping me hone my skill with a sword. I thank the Nordic gods for bringing you into my life.” She raised up on tiptoes to brush her full lips against his.

Like a wave crashing against the white chalk cliffs, irresistible desire inundated Njord.

He removed the white wolfskin, laid it on the ground at his side, and crushed Elfi against his chest. Tilting his head for better access to her tempting mouth, he plundered her delicious depths with an exploring tongue while she responded with equal ardor in his arms. Her taste tormented him, making him crave her even more.

“Lugh might still be here.” She pulled away, peering into the dark recesses of the cave where the Ljósálfar had disappeared.

“He’s gone. I can sense when he’s near. Like I can with the úlfhéenar.” Njord pulled Elfi close, murmuring into her open mouth. “We’re all alone.” An otherworldly aura permeated the cave, enshrouding them in a mysterious mist. He lowered his lips to claim hers, his tongue probing, prodding, and penetrating. The roar of the waterfall reverberated in his bones and thundered with the rhythm of his heart.

Pulsing painfully as he pressed against her soft belly, his aching body throbbed with irrepressible need. Yet his yearning for Elfi transcended the human realm, for Njord felt inexplicably compelled to mate with her here. To merge his essence with hers. To plant his seed in her fertile womb. Here, in this mystical, otherworldly realm. An irresistible pull drew them together, as if the Norns had entwined their fates in this majestic waterfall cave.

Thoughts raced through Njord’s mind. We can’t make love on the hard, stone floor of the cave. But we do have the soft wolfskin fur…

As if to answer his unspoken question, Elfi slipped her hands under his tunic, running her fingers over his bare back and moaning softly into his ear. She reached up to pull his face down to hers, swallowing his lips, drinking him in, swept away in the same tide of passion. “I want you, Njord. Every part of me craves every inch of you. Please make me yours. And become mine. Here in this waterfall cave.”

A raw, ravenous hunger for her raged through him. Body, mind, and spirit. Everything about Elfi beckoned him.

Her intoxicating scent. Her tantalizing taste. Her incredible skill with a sword.

Her mermaid spirit, her ethereal music.

His siren with the sea goddess eyes.

They belonged together. The Norns had interwoven the threads of their fate and linked their destiny. He and Elfi were fated mates. And an otherworldly, inexorable force had brought them to this waterfall cave.

For them to join here as one.

Njord removed his tunic, boots, sword, and breeches, standing naked before Elfi.

She moaned, stroking and nuzzling the dark hair on his chest. Her eager lips and exploring tongue followed her roving fingers. “I love your scent. Your taste. Your touch.” She gazed up at him, her eyes as enticing as the deep waters of the Mermaid Cove. “And the sight of you makes my knees weaken with want.” Elfi lifted her dark blue gown up over her head, laid it on the stone floor of the cave, and removed the linen shift she wore underneath. She placed it on top of the dress and carefully unfastened her necklace and trollkors talisman, nestling them protectively amongst the soft fabric of her gown. Her light brown hair, streaked with gold, cascaded in long waves down her slender arms, like the sparkling waterfall which concealed the mystical cave. When she stood nude and turned toward him, her beauty beckoned like the sea.

Tall and lithe, her pale skin glowed like a goddess. Small, pert breasts with soft pink nipples were impossible to resist, and he bent down to suckle them, supporting Elfi’s back as he lowered her to the wolfskin cloak spread upon the floor of the cave. He devoured her, trailing kisses over her luminous skin, savoring the sumptuous nectar between her long, lean legs. She was salty and sweet, like the freshwater spring of the waterfall which flowed into the Narrow Sea.

He lapped at her tender skin, reveling in her tangy taste, until waves of pleasure made her quiver and shudder in blissful, sublime surrender under the relentless rhythm of his ravenous tongue.

She gazed up at him, lovelight aglow in her sea goddess eyes, opening her arms and legs to welcome him in. “Please, Njord. Come inside me.”

He slipped his hands under her rounded hips. Tilted her up to receive him. And plunged into her warm, wet womb.

Arms clasped behind his back, long legs wrapped around his thrusting hips, she held him tight, clenching him inside and out. Like a thunderous wave crashing against the shore, he emptied himself into Elfi. And filled her with his seed and his soul.

Limbs entwined, their passion spent, they lay together amidst the roar of the cascade and the salty mist of the sea. Njord shifted his weight onto one arm so he wouldn’t crush her, and kissed Elfi’s soft, smiling lips. “That was paradise. At long last, you are finally mine.”

She suckled the side of his neck where it met his shoulder and hummed into his slightly sweaty skin. “And you belong to me. I love you, Njord. As deep as the endless sea.”

He laid down on the wolfskin at her side and pulled her into his arms. “And I love you. My siren with the sea goddess eyes.” Njord caressed the golden strands which shimmered in her long, luxurious hair. He leaned down to kiss her softly. “I simply had to have you. I couldn’t resist—I felt an inexplicable, undeniable urge for us to make love. Here in this waterfall cave.”

Elfi nuzzled the dark hair on his chest and kissed his scarred skin. “I felt it, too. As if fate had brought us here— to merge as one.” With a delicate fingertip, she traced the rugged skin across his shoulder, trailing the tip of her tongue over it and up along the side of his neck. “Mmmm,” she purred. “I love your taste.”

“And I love yours.” Her tangy flavor danced upon his tongue. He deeply inhaled her musky scent which lingered in his moustache. By the gods, he wanted her again!

“We should go. My grandmother will be wondering where I am.” Elfi stroked a pattern in his chest hair, then rubbed it out with a flattened palm.

“And I do need to get back to work.” He sighed in resignation. “We’re repairing the castle wall—and I want to have everything completed before your father’s return. That gives us three weeks, and there’s still a lot left to do.” He sat up as Elfi got to her feet. “You and I will train tomorrow in the sacred grove—I’m anxious to see your progress. And I look forward to our dance with swords .” As she bent to retrieve her clothes, he eyed her small waist and the alluring curve of her round bottom. His body stirred at a sudden surge of desire.

“I can’t wait!” Elfi slipped on her linen shift, then her dark blue gown, her long locks tumbling to her hips. She pulled her hair over one shoulder to refasten the necklace and talisman, bending over to slip on her leather boots.

Njord tamped down his lust as he pulled on his breeches, tunic, and boots. He strapped on his sword and donned the white wolfskin cloak. Drawing Elfi against his chest, he leaned down to kiss her sweet lips. “Nor can I. Mayhap tomorrow, we can come here again.” He grinned at the excitement in her widened eyes.

“That’s a wonderful idea. Now I’ll look forward to our training even more.” A sly, seductive smile stretched across her flushed face. As Njord adjusted his wolfskin, Elfi eyed the passageway where the Ljósálfar had disappeared. “Lugh said this cave is the portal to the ?le de Sein . I still can’t believe it. He will take me to the island of the Gallizenae— the mermaids who will teach me to wield my mother’s magic!” She peered into the darkness where a long, curved path led deep into the recesses of the cave. “I cannot wait to meet them. To learn about my mother, Dúva. And discover how to wield her power.” Elfi’s blue eyes glimmered like the glistening waters of the Mermaid Cove. “I have the blood of a sjóv?ttir sea spirit. A billow maiden daughter of the Sea Goddess Rán!” Her ebullient laughter was like a bubbling, limpid stream. She rose up on tiptoes to kiss him, eyes alight with wonder. “And you, my love, are a Volsung descendant of Odin! A wolf warrior of the úlfhéenar. With the blood of the Ljósálfar , like Lugh!” An awestruck grin stretching across her radiant face, she wrapped her arms behind his neck and kissed his bearded lips.

Njord chuckled, sharing her enthusiasm and excitement. He retrieved the lit torch from the earthy ground where Elfi had stood it near the entrance to the waterfall cave. And, holding the flame high to illuminate the gloom, led his betrothed into the forest and through the tunnel, back to the sacred grove.